Facts on Chronic Yeast Infection

1. Know Your Risk

You are at higher risk of a chronic yeast infection if you have certain conditions such as diabetes or insulin resistance. Other conditions that can predispose you to candida infection are HIV and impaired glucose tolerance. If you are on antibiotic therapy, be sure to talk to your doctor about supplementing with pro-biotics to replace the friendly bacteria. This will discourage the yeast from overgrowing. If you are taking any type of hormones or oral contraceptives, or are going through menopause or pregnancy, know that the fluctuations in your hormone levels may put you at greater risk for candida infection as well.

2. Know Your Enemy

Remember, a chronic yeast infection can mimic symptoms of other conditions such as vulvitis. Get tested to be sure you are truly dealing with a fungal infection and not something else. In fact, some of the additives in lotions or soaps can cause symptoms to those of a yeast infection. Additives like sodium lauryl sulfate, propylene glycol and cetyl alcohol tend to bother the sensitive areas treated for yeast.

3. Conventional Treatments Lose Their Oomph

The conventional treatment for chronic yeast infection is one or more anti-fungal drugs on the market today. Overuse of these treatments may or may not cause certain yeast strains to become resistant to their anti-fungal affects. For instance, the strain candida glabrata now seems to be resistant to many of the topical anti-fungal treatments currently on the market. It also seems to be resistant to fluconazole, the oral anti-fungal pill.

4. Team-up to Beat the Yeast

It might be best to combine conventional and alternative treatments to combat a chronic yeast infection. Some alternative methods are as simple as taking a tablespoon of apple cider vinegar a few times a day. This, teamed up with your doctor's recommendations of topical and oral medications, may be your best defense in the yeast infection battle. Make sure you follow the directions given by your doctor and keep up on your treatment plan, which may include weekly or bi-weekly treatments to keep the yeast at bay.

5. Food for You, Food for The Yeast

It is also important to monitor your diet closely. Most naturopathic doctors will recommend you keep a close eye on the amount of sugar you are getting into your diet. The reason is that yeast loves sugar, even the sugar from fruits, and ingesting too much of it can cause a relapse. Avoid simple sugars and lower your intake of complex carbohydrates. Keep lots of vegetables on the menu, and you'll boost your immune system as well. Be sure to include lots of green and orange in the spectrum, like broccoli, spinach and sweet potatoes. You also might want to include some organic plain yogurt in the mix as well, but be sure to steer clear of pre-sweetened yogurt.